Sanitary cleaner for bed-springs.



M. I. GAMBIL'L. SANITARY CLEANER FOR BED SPRINGS. APPLICATION IIL-ED MAY 29, 1913.

1,100,367. Patented June 16,1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON. D. c.

MARY I. GAMBILL, or HONEY snovn, TEXAS.

SANITARY CLEANER FOR BED-SPRINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 29, 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Serial No. 770,771.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY I. GAMBILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Honey Grove, in the county of Fannin and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Cleaners for Bed-Springs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is in the nature of a sanitary cleaner for bed springs of the class known as coil springs and its primary object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple and economical in construction and extremely effective in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop-like structure for holding cleaning sponges in a form to enable the open ator to reach and thoroughly clean all parts of the spring.

lVith these objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement and combination of the parts of a device of the character specified, which will be hereinafter fully described, and afterward specifically claimed.

in order that the construction and operation thereof may be readily comprehended, I will now proceed to fully describe my in vention in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an approved embodiment thereof, and in which drawings,

Figure 1 represents in elevation my improved cleaner with' the partscollapsed in inoperative position and the sponges removed. Fig. 2 represents the same parts in their distended position, and, Fig. 3 represents the same parts in longitudinal section, the parts being distended and the cleaning sponges clamped therein ready for use.

Like reference characters mark the same parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 5 indicates the handle of my improved cleaner which, for the purposes of lightness and economy, will preferably be made of wood, suchas ordinarily used for broom and other handles, but which may be, if desired, made of metal tubing, the particular material being a matter of choice. In either event the handle will be hollow, as at 6, for a substantial portion of its length and will be provided for a considerable portion of its length with a longitudinal slot 7 through which slot projects a screw 8 which engages in the head 9 of a rod 10 in the hollow of the handle, and which rod projects, when distended, a considerable distance beyond the end of the handle, said rod being provided on its outer end with a clamping head 11. In the hollow 6 of the handle is secured a short sleeve or ring' 12, and a spring 13, coiled about the rod 10, is secured at its inner end to said ring 12 and at its outer end to said head 11. The tendency of said spring is to draw the rod into the interior of the hollow of the handle into the position shown in Fig. 1.

On the outer end of the handle 5 is threaded, or otherwise secured, a dome shaped clamp 14, which faces outward and is provided on its outer concave face with projecting points 15. Between this domeshaped clamp 14 and the head 11, slidably located upon the rod, are two similarly shaped clamps l6 and 17, the former having lugs or points 18 upon its outer convex surface and similarlugs or points 19 upon its inner concave surface, while the latter is similarly provided with lugs or points 20 and 21 respectively.

As before stated, when the device is in inoperative position the parts hereinbefore described will be automatically held by the spring 13 in the position shown in Fig. 1, and if desired, when the handle is screwed into the clamp 14, the parts may be readily dismantled for purposes of storage or transportation.

To complete the cleaner for use, sponges 22, 23 and 24 are provided, thesponge 22'being located between the clamps 14 and 16 and held in position therein by the pointed lugs 15 and 18, the edges of the sponge projecting beyond the limits of the clamps. The sponge 28 is similarly located between the clamps 16 and 17 and held in position therebetween by the lugs 19 and 20, while sponge 24 will be held in position between the clamp 17 and the head 11 by means of the lugs 21 and similar lugs 25 on the inner face of the head, said sponges E23 and 24 projecting beyond the outer limits of the clamp and head.

The clamps 14, 16 and 17 may be made of any suitable material, ordinary hard rubber being preferred and the sponges may be saturated with water, soapy or otherwise, or with suitable cleaning and disinfecting fluid, and, owing to the fact that when the sponges are clamped in the position shown in Fig. 3 the working head is substantially conical in shape, all parts of the spring can be readily reached and cleaned or treated with disinfecting fiuid or Water, as may be desired.

To dismantle the cleaner it is only necessary to remove the sponges, which can be readily done, when the spring will automatically draw the head 11 and the rod with it inward until all of the clamps are closely nested, as in Fig. 1.

While I have specifically described the construction of the various parts comprising my invention, their arrangement, and the material of which they are preferably made, it will be obvious to a practical person that changes and variations may be made therein, within reasonable limitations, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent of the United States is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a hollow handle, a rod slidable therein, a sponge clamp secured to the end of the handle, a second sponge clamp slidable upon said rod, a clamping head on the end of the rod, and means for normally and yieldingly holding the rod in the hollow handle and the clamps nested.

2. A device of the character described comprising a hollow handle, a rod slidable therein, a sponge clamp secured to the end of the handle, a series of sponge clamps slidable on said rod, a clamping head on the end of the rod, and a spring coiled about the rod and secured at its opposite ends to the handle and head respectively, having a normal tendency to draw the rod into the hollow of the handle and nest the clamps.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow handle having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a rod slidable therein, a sponge clamp secured to the end of the handle, a series of clamps slidable upon said rod, said clamps being provided with pointed lugs on their opposing faces, a clamping head secured to the outer end of the rod and provided on its inner surface with pointed lugs, the clamps being adapted to receive sponges between them, a ring secured in the hollow of the handle and slidably supporting said rod, a spring coiled about the rod, having its inner end secured to said ring and its outer end to said head at the end of the rod, and a handle pin secured to the inner end of the rod and projecting through the slot in the hollow handle.

4:. In a device of the character described comprising a handle, a rod slidable with respect to the handle, a cupshaped member formed on the end of said handle and having its flared sides directed away from said handle, a series of cups loosely mounted upon said rod and adapted to cooperate and rest within the first mentioned cup, a head stationarily fixed upon the outer end of said rod, and means normally tending to draw said head toward said first mentioned cup.

5. In a device of the character described comprising a handle, a rod slidable with respect to the handle, a cup shaped member secured upon one end of the handle and having its flared end directed from the handle, a plurality of cup-shaped members loosely mounted upon said rod and adapted to be seated within each other, said cup-shaped member gradually diminishing in size from said first mentioned cup-shaped member and having lugs projecting from the faces thereof, a stationary head formed on the outer end of said rod, and means normally tending to draw the head toward said first mentioned cup-shaped member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARY I. GAMBILL.

lVitnesses D. I. GALBRAITH, ADA GALBRAITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

